Robert J. Lohrmann has spent the last two years as General Manager of the Marriott Sanya, and we recently asked him a number of questions about how his long background in the hospitality industry shapes his outlook for the China travel market.

China Southern Airlines has launched a new Caring Foundation, with an initial donation of US$265,000, to help students with dire financial difficulties located at 11 major universities, including Beijing University and Shanghai's Fudan University.

Though most hotels and resorts in Thailand have regained their footing after last December's tsunami, few tourists have come in the past six months.

In order to attract more Chinese, who usually travel to Thailand at this time of the year during the summer holiday, the Thai government has decided to issue visas free of charge [...]

Accor Asia Pacific has announced the placement of four new General Managers at different properties around China.

Cendant's Howard Johnson recently signed a hotel management agreement with Busystar Real Estate Company to manage a hotel in Zhejiang province's Jiaxing, 98 kilometers from Shanghai.

Following several years of high visibility research, industry events and awareness building of travel and tourism's economic contribution in China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has now welcomed two Chinese Members to the Council.

Alain Briere has been appointed Area Director of Sales and Marketing of Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai. In this new position, Briere will oversee the Sales and Marketing Division, comprised of the Sales, Events Management, MICE and Communications sectors of the company.

He will report directly to Vice President and General Manager of the hotel, Philippe Caretti.
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Kunming airport officials are talking to Germany-based Fraport to help with the US$1.9 billion airport that is slated to begin construction this year. The airport in Kunming is targeted to open in 2008.

China's first private airline, Okay Airways, is rumored to be in talks with Korean Air on a possible joint venture.

Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts has announced the appointment of Michael Tam as Executive Assistant Manager for Le Méridien She Shan Shanghai. Tam's key focus is on strategic growth and pre-opening activities for Le Méridien She Shan Shanghai, which is scheduled to open this November.